Keep on Dreaming
by lbd89
Summary: Rachel's dads died in a car accident when she was 13 and she was placed in foster care. When Shelby finds out, she realizes Rachel does need her. But, she already said goodbye. AU starting during Funk. Shelby/Rachel. Some Finn/Rachel and Jesse/Rachel
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is centered around Shelby and Rachel's relationship, but it will include many of the Glee characters. Finn and Jesse St. James will play big roles. It is somewhat AU starting during Funk. Rachel's dads died in a car accident when she was thirteen. She didn't have any living relatives so she was placed in foster care. Other than that, the characters' backgrounds are the same as in the show. Rachel's relationship with Jesse and Shelby progressed just as it did in the show with minor changes. When Rachel and Jesse were looking for clues as to who her mother could be, she just had one box, not a basement shrine dedicated to her. She didn't tell him about her dads. When Rachel asked Shelby for help with the Gaga costume, she just said she needed a mom right now, not that her dads couldn't sew.

**Chapter 1**

Though only 5'2 and fifteen years old, Rachel Berry's feminine curves make her look like a woman, not a girl. She's not classically beautiful. With wavy auburn hair and brown eyes, her looks are exotic, sexy. She knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. She wants to be the female lead in a Broadway production. She's been taking vocal lessons since she could talk, dance classes since she could walk. She's poised and confident, motivated and determined, a type-A perfectionist. She doesn't have any vices that will jeopardize her future. She doesn't drink or smoke. But, she doesn't play by the rules either. There's nothing she won't do to get what she wants. There's no authority figure she won't argue with or defy. The only two people she listened to, no argument, were her dads. She would have done anything to make them proud. She was the perfect daughter. Talented and intelligent, compliant and eager to please, spoiled yet grateful. An only child, her dads showered her with attention and love. Everything changed when they died in a car accident two years ago. She's now in foster care. She has no living relatives. At least none who want her. Her mother abandoned her at birth and then again a week ago. Granted, she didn't tell her mother that she didn't have anyone else. She didn't want her mother's pity; she wanted her mother's love. None of her foster parents have encouraged her or appreciated her talents. Instead her singing and flair for the dramatics is an annoyance. She doesn't get the attention she craves unless she acts out. Even then, the attention of her foster parents is divided among a full house of foster kids. If anything, losing everything only makes her want to make it to Broadway that much more.

Shelby Corcoran may be in her mid-thirties, but she looks more like Rachel Berry's older sister than her mother. She's about two inches taller than Rachel, but that's where the differences end. She has the same wavy auburn hair, the same brown eyes, the same skin tone, the same physical features as her daughter. She once wanted to be the female lead in a Broadway production. There was nothing she wouldn't do to get what she wanted. She would have sold her soul. Sometimes she thinks she did. All she had to do was carry Rachel for nine months and Hiram and Leroy Berry would pay her enough to live in New York for two years. They got a baby and Shelby got to live her dream. Shelby only saw her baby for a second when the nurses were cleaning her off. She will never forget that second. She tried to forget, she wanted to forget. But, the memory of her daughter haunted her in New York. She couldn't leave her daughter behind in Ohio and never look back. Her dream didn't come true. Maybe deep down she didn't want it to anymore. Maybe she wanted an excuse to go back to Ohio. She wanted to be close to her daughter. So, she returned to Ohio and took a job that was beneath her, teaching English at Carmel High School and coaching their glee club, Vocal Adrenaline. Every time she listened to a student sing, she wondered what her daughter's voice sounded like. Then, she was at Sectionals scouting Vocal Adrenaline's competition for Regionals and she heard her daughter. She knew it was her daughter before she looked at the program and saw that Rachel's last name was Berry. Her daughter had her voice, her talent, her stage presence. Shelby couldn't stay away anymore. She found a way around the contract she signed that explicitly prohibited her from contacting her daughter before Rachel's eighteenth birthday. Rachel would have to come to her. When Rachel did come to her, with a little help, the reunion didn't go according to plan. Rachel felt sad, not good. And that was the last thing Shelby wanted. So, she said goodbye even though she wanted to hold on to her daughter and never let go.

The rivalry between Vocal Adrenaline and New Directions runs deep. It's not all fun and games. Vocal Adrenaline will stop at nothing to win Regionals. Their star, Jesse St. James, infiltrated New Directions under the guise of transferring to be with Rachel. He knows their strengths and weaknesses. He uses their weaknesses against them. He knows Rachel the best. He hurt her the most. That's why Rachel Berry tagged along when Finn and Puck went to exact revenge on Vocal Adrenaline for trashing their choir room. The only four tires she slashed belonged to Jesse St. James. And that's why Rachel is called to the principal's office during fifth period algebra.

Rachel slowly packs up her notebook and textbook and walks to the main office. The door to Principal Figgins' office is open. She's not surprised to see Finn and Puck sitting across from Principal Figgins or Will Schuester standing behind them. She's not even surprised to see Sue Sylvester standing beside Will. But she is taken aback when she sees Shelby standing in the corner, hands on her hips, glaring at Finn and Puck. And she's horrified to see Finn's mom, Carole, and Puck's mom, Lauren, standing directly behind their sons. She reluctantly takes a seat in the remaining chair, knowing her foster mom, Rebecca, will probably be joining them. She didn't want Shelby to know that she's in foster care, but there's nothing she can do about it now. She feels Shelby's eyes burning a hole in the back of her head, but she doesn't look back.

The tension is palpable in the cramped office. No one breaks the silence. The adults are waiting for Rachel's guardian and the kids don't dare say a word. After a few minutes that feel more like hours, Rebecca hurries into the office and takes her place behind Rachel. Rachel wrinkles her nose when the smell of cigarette smoke hits her nostrils. Wondering who the woman filling the role of parent for _her_ daughter is, Shelby stares at Rebecca, her brow creasing in confusion.

"What the hell did you do this time?" Rebecca asks.

"Who are you?" Shelby asks, an edge to her voice.

"This is Rachel Berry's mother. Now that she's here we can get started," Principal Figgins says.

The response confuses Shelby even more. She looks at Will for answers. He shakes his head slightly, knowing this isn't the time or place to give Shelby the answers she needs.

"She's not my kid. She's my foster kid," Rebecca corrects.

Perplexed, Shelby wonders how her only child ended up a ward of the state. One of the reasons Shelby said goodbye to Rachel was because her daughter already had two parents who loved her. Rachel didn't need another parent. Rachel didn't need Shelby. Shelby was a third wheel. Unwelcome and unnecessary.

"What you are doesn't matter just as long as you are here. You're here because these students are in trouble," Principal Figgins says impatiently.

"Look, I know why we're here, but Rachel didn't do it," Finn says quickly, wanting to protect Rachel. He knows foster parents have kicked Rachel out for less serious offenses.

"Don't waste your breath. We know you're responsible. The security cameras at Carmel caught you three juvenile delinquents red-handed," Sue says, smirking.

"While I appreciate your attempt to protect me, I'm proud of what we did," Rachel says, smiling gratefully at Finn.

"Yeah," Puck agrees. "I did it and I'm proud. All I did was step up and be a man. They got what was coming to them," Puck says.

"A few of my students TPed your choir room! You slashed the tires on the Range Rovers of all twenty-six of my performers!" Shelby yells. "Those Range Rovers were gifts for our win at Sectionals. That's 200 times 26 times 4 equals…I don't have a calculator," Shelby says, frustrated.

"I'm sorry. You bought all your kids Range Rovers?" Will asks.

"We have a very active booster club," Shelby explains.

"Look, nobody got hurt. It was a harmless prank," Will says.

"That's what they said about a young man in Chicago who thought he'd play a harmless prank on a dairy cow of one Mrs. O'Leary. He successfully ignited its flagellants and a city burned, William. That young terrorist went on to become the first president of the United States," Sue says.

"Enough! These students have committed a felony. They are hereby expelled," Principal Figgins says.

"Look, I don't want anyone to get expelled. I'm not going to press charges just as long as you pay for the damage. You can take it out of the Glee Club budget," Shelby suggests.

"That'll bankrupt the Glee Club. We don't have that kind of money," Will says.

"We'll get jobs. Give us a month. We'll pay you back, Ms. Corcoran. I promise," Finn pleads.

"Fine," Shelby agrees.

"Ms. Corcoran, you are as wise and magnanimous as you are beautiful," Principal Figgins says.

The group shuffles out of the office. Shelby is looking at Rachel, but Rachel avoids eye contact, looking anywhere but at her mother.

"Rachel, I need to talk to you," Shelby says.

_Need_, not _want_. Shelby doesn't want to talk to Rachel. Rachel wants to talk to her mother. About Glee Club, clothes, boys. But she doesn't want to talk to her about her dads' deadly car accident. Last time they talked, Shelby said goodbye. Now she feels like she _needs_ to talk to Rachel. Rachel is a burden, an obligation, a responsibility Shelby doesn't want to take. Rachel doesn't want her mother to see her like that. She finally looks up, meeting Shelby's gaze.

"I think you pretty much said all you _needed_ to last time we talked," Rachel says.

"Rachel, let's go," Rebecca says, anger and impatience causing her to raise her voice. "Now, Rachel," she adds when Rachel starts talking to Shelby.

Rachel turns on her heel and follows Rebecca to the parking lot. She doesn't look back at Shelby.

Shelby turns to Will, who watched the scene unfold before him. "You need to tell me why the daughter who doesn't need me is in foster care," Shelby says angrily.

"Can we talk in private?" Will asks, not wanting to have this private conversation in a hallway where Rachel's peers will overhear. He puts his arm around Shelby's shoulders and guides her to his office. They sit down facing each other. "Rachel's dads died in a car accident two years ago," Will says.

Shelby stares at him. Her mouth twists into a look of horror. She covers her mouth with her hands. "She was thirteen. My baby was thirteen," Shelby says.

Will nods. "She didn't have any relatives she could live with," Will explains.

Two years ago Shelby wanted her daughter and her daughter needed her. Shelby was dreaming about being a mom to her baby. Her dream could have come true. This hurt more than her shattered dream of starring on Broadway because she wasn't the only one that got hurt.

"Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't you tell me? How could you let me think she didn't need me?" Shelby demands.

"I was worried about Rachel. Look, do you have any idea how many foster homes she's been in?" Will asks, knowing Shelby doesn't. "Three foster homes in two years. She wants everyone to think it rolls off her. But it doesn't. She has a show face, but I can see the pain in her eyes every time her foster parents decide they don't want her. I didn't want to see the pain that you not wanting her would cause," Will explains.

"I want her!" Shelby yells, frustrated.

"I was worried that you weren't as committed to your reunion as she was. And I was right. You told me you wanted a baby. You told me Rachel's an adult now. But she's not. She's just a kid. I didn't want you to give up on your relationship with her. I just wanted you to talk to Rachel, manage her expectations," Will says, defending his role in Shelby and Rachel's goodbye.

"I have to help her," Shelby says, determined.

Will studies Shelby for several seconds. Her jaw is set in determination, her fists clenched. She looks like a mom who is ready to fight for her daughter. He turns to face the computer on his desk and pulls up Rachel's information. He writes down her address on a yellow sticky note and gives it to Shelby.

In her car, Shelby enters the address into her GPS. She follows the directions. They take her to a bad part of town. Rachel's foster home is run-down. The lawn is overgrown. Trash litters the walkway and yard. Cigarette butts, crushed beer cans, a discarded couch. The paint on the house is chipped. It's a far cry from the beautiful home Hiram and Leroy Berry provided for Rachel. Shelby knocks on the door, resolved to get Rachel out of this house.

Rebecca opens the door a fraction of an inch, regarding Shelby suspiciously. Shelby can smell the alcohol on Rebecca's breath. Rebecca's drunk and its not even 3:30 in the afternoon.

"Is Rachel here?" Shelby asks. But, her question is drowned out by the sound of a toddler crying and two small children fighting over a toy.

Rebecca looks over her shoulder. "Shut up!" Rebecca yells. She turns back to Shelby and Shelby repeats the question. Rebecca turns around and yells in the general direction of the stairs. "Rachel!"

A small boy that looks about seven or eight years old runs to the doorway. "She's not here," he announces.

"Where the hell is she?" Rebecca asks.

"Probably with Jesse," the boy says, smirking.

Shelby kinks her eyebrows. She didn't know Jesse still had a relationship with her daughter.

"She's not here," Rebecca concludes, already starting to shut the door in Shelby's face.

"When will she be home?" Shelby asks quickly, cringing as she refers to this house as her daughter's home.

"I don't know," Rebecca says, closing the door. Shelby can hear the locks click into place.

Shelby gets in her car and turns the stereo on. She listens to music while she waits for her daughter. She'll wait as long as she has to. She already waited fifteen years.

Minutes turn into hours. It's starting to get dark. At long last Shelby sees her daughter walking down the street.

Shelby turns the car off and gets out to meet Rachel in front of the house. When her daughter gets closer, Shelby gasps. Rachel is covered in egg yolk. Her auburn hair is coated with yellow goo.

Rachel puts her show face on. She flashes a polite smile. But, even years of acting won't help her hide the embarrassed blush creeping across her cheeks. Shelby sees the unshed tears filling her daughter's brown eyes.

"What's all this?" Shelby asks.

"I got egged," Rachel replies, stating the obvious.

"Who egged you?" Shelby demands, remembering the young boy said Rachel was with Jesse.

"Vocal Adrenaline," Rachel replies in an accusatory tone.

Rachel sees ready violence in her mother's eyes. She expected Shelby to jump to the defense of her precious performers. They're obviously more important to Shelby than her daughter.

"They'll pay for this," Shelby says, already thinking of ways to torture her students at practice the next day.

"Finn and Noah will make them pay," Rachel says.

"No. This has gone too far. I'm going to end it once and for all," Shelby says, confident that her students will never go near Rachel again after she gets through with them.

"It will end when we win Regionals," Rachel says cockily.

Shelby smiles. Her daughter is competitive. Shelby has always been a fierce competitor. "I'm not going to let you win," Shelby says. Her tone is teasing, but she takes the competition seriously.

"No. Don't. I want to beat you fair and square," Rachel says.

When did they become adversaries? Was it the day Shelby accepted a job at Carmel? Or, was it the day Shelby said goodbye to her daughter? Did Rachel now consider her nothing more than the coach of her competition?

"Rachel, why didn't you tell me about your dads?" Shelby asks.

"You're my mom. You should want me because I'm your daughter, but you don't. I don't want to be the poor orphan Annie that you feel sorry for," Rachel replies.

"I do want you, but I didn't think you needed me. You told me that story about your dads and how they bring you water when you're sad. I thought you had two loving parents. They made you happy. I just made you sad," Shelby explains.

"No, you know what made me sad? It made me sad that you missed over a decade of my life. It made me sad that you didn't even want to go to dinner with me! And it made me feel awful that you said goodbye to me!" Rachel says, gaining steam as she lists her mother's transgressions.

"I've missed too much. I'm not going to miss anymore. Get your stuff. You can come home with me where you belong," Shelby says.

"No. I think we should just be grateful for each other from afar," Rachel replies, throwing her mother's words from their goodbye back at her. She turns on her heel to storm away.

"Rachel, I didn't know. I thought you had two parents. I thought anything we shared would be confusing for you," Shelby says defensively.

Rachel spins around to face Shelby again. "What's confusing for me is that _you_ decided it was the _right_ time for me to find you and then _you_ decided it was all _wrong_. And now you think it's right again. You're hot then you're cold," Rachel says.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel," Shelby apologizes, realizing for the first time what she's done to her daughter. "I really want this to work," Shelby says. She's almost pleading and Shelby Corcoran doesn't beg.

"No. I'm not going to keep wasting my time with you," Rachel says firmly. She sees the flash of pain in her mother's eyes. She didn't want to hurt Shelby. She just doesn't want to let Shelby hurt her. Never again. She softens. She doesn't have her show face on anymore. Her expression shows the raw emotion swirling around inside her. Anger, sadness, hurt, confusion. "It hurts too much," Rachel admits.

Shelby watches helplessly as her daughter walks away from her. She hears Rebecca yell at Rachel when the girl steps into the house.

"What the hell happened to you, Rachel? Don't get egg on my carpet!" Rebecca yells. Her voice is cold, uncaring.

Shelby doesn't know what to do. Should she go in there and drag Rachel away kicking and screaming? Or should she listen to her daughter? She wants to right a wrong. But she doesn't know how or if she even can. So, she goes to Will's apartment, hoping he'll know what to do. He knows Rachel better than she does. A teacher should never know a child better than that child's parents, but he does.

Will looks surprised when he opens the door. He invites Shelby in. "Can I get you anything to drink?' Will offers politely.

They sit down on the couch with mugs of tea. "My talk with Rachel actually made things worse," Shelby admits.

"Having any kind of relationship with a teenage daughter you don't know isn't going to be easy," Will says.

"I'm not one to back down from a challenge," Shelby says. She sets her mug down on the coffee table. "But Rachel is," Shelby says.

"No, she isn't. But, she won't stick it out if she doesn't think she can win in the end," Will says.

"I told her I wanted her to come home with me and she said no. Her foster home was awful. I don't understand how she can actually want that," Shelby says.

"Are you 100% committed to her?" Will asks.

"Yes," Shelby says firmly.

"If you're ready to be a parent to her, then you need to be her parent. She's just a kid. She doesn't know what she wants. She just knows that she doesn't want to get hurt. Look, would you let one of your kids perform a solo if you knew it was all wrong for them?" Will says.

"Of course not," Shelby replies, understanding the comparison Will is drawing. She thinks about her kids, the members of Vocal Adrenaline that she knows well. They don't always know what they want or even what they need. She thinks of the freshmen that don't want to wear sunscreen on stage and then get burnt by the hot spotlights. She thinks of the seniors that are good, but nowhere near good enough to make it as singers. When they asked her for letters of recommendation for college music programs, she none-too-gently pointed out how many people want to be musicians and how few people are successful. She thinks of the students that forget books or neglect to study for tests. How could she have thought Rachel was grown up? Rachel is no more grown up than her performers. They need an adult to coach them and Rachel needs an adult to parent her.

Shelby knows what she has to do. Rachel is a child. Shelby is an adult. The final decision is Shelby's, not Rachel's. Shelby tried the soft-handed approach earlier. Now she's going to use the hard-handed approach she uses more often than not with her performers. As a coach, she can get her kids to do anything. Even the most defiant teenagers know that when Ms. Corcoran talks, they better listen.

When Shelby gets to Rachel's foster home, there aren't any lights on. She looks at the clock and realizes it's almost midnight. She'll have to wait until tomorrow. As she drives away, she promises herself that this is the last night Rachel will spend in that home.

Shelby knows she won't be able to sleep. So, she gets a bottle of white wine out of the refrigerator and pours herself a glass. She needs a drink after the day she's had.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed. This chapter focuses on Shelby and Rachel, but the next chapter will have more characters.

**Chapter 2**

Shelby looks at the digital clock on her bedside table. She's in bed, but she didn't get any sleep. She's just been waiting until a decent hour to go talk to Rachel. At 6:00 am, she gets out of bed and gets ready. An hour later, she drives to Rachel's foster home. Parked outside, she waits for the first sign of life inside the house. When the light in the kitchen flickers on, Shelby knocks on the door.

Rebecca opens the door, a cigarette in her mouth. She's obviously hungover.

"Is Rachel here?" Shelby asks.

"What do you want with her? Is she in trouble again?" Rebecca demands.

"No. I'm Rachel's mother," Shelby replies.

Rebecca looks at Shelby. She can see the resemblance. "Please tell me you're here to take her away," Rebecca says.

Shelby's chin juts out indignantly. "Yes, I am," Shelby says curtly.

"She's upstairs. First door on the left," Rebecca says.

Taking that as an invitation, Shelby proceeds upstairs. The room is tiny and cramped. Shelby's master bathroom is probably bigger. There are two twin beds crammed into the room. There's no desk or chest of drawers. Toys and clothes are strewn all over the floor. A little girl, probably about ten or eleven years old, is sleeping in one of the beds.

Shelby can hear the shower running and her daughter singing softly in the bathroom across the hall. She sits down on the unoccupied bed, waiting for Rachel.

"_You!_

_You don't really want to stay, no_

_You!_

_You don't really want to go_

_You're hot then you're cold_

_You're yes then you're no_

_You're in then you're out_

_You're up then you're down."_

Shelby instantly recognizes the lyrics as the tail end of Katy Perry's _Hot N Cold_. She remembers Rachel telling her she was hot then cold the night before and knows she's the inspiration for the song. The water turns off and a few minutes later Rachel walks into the room with a white towel wrapped around her body. Rachel stops dead in her tracks when she sees Shelby sitting on her bed. Her expression hardens.

Shelby looks at her daughter, fresh from the shower, and sees a faint bruise around her eye. Rachel hasn't done her make-up yet or the black eye would be covered up. Shelby wants to cry for her daughter. She wants to give whoever did this to her daughter a swift kick in the ass.

"What part of no don't you understand?" Rachel asks before Shelby can ask about the black eye.

"When I want something, I don't take no for an answer," Shelby replies.

Rachel stands her ground, crossing her arms in front of her. "You're stubborn, but I'm just as stubborn. I'm not going to change my mind," Rachel says.

"No, neither will I," Shelby says. Amused by her willful daughter, she smiles slightly. "You're coming home with me," Shelby says. She's firm yet gentle.

"This is my home. Rebecca and Trey are my legal guardians. Kidnapping is a crime," Rachel points out.

Shelby smirks. "It's not kidnapping when it's your daughter," Shelby says.

Taken aback, Rachel is silent. No one has called her their daughter since her dads died. The idea of being someone's daughter, of being her mother's daughter makes her stop and think.

Thinking she's won, Shelby gets up and approaches her daughter. She gently traces the bruise with her fingertips. "How'd you get this?" Shelby asks.

"I walked into a door," Rachel lies.

Shelby laughs at the lame excuse. "I've seen you dance on stage. You can perform advanced choreography perfectly. You're too coordinated to walk into a door," Shelby says.

"Fine. I had an argument with my foster dad. He had an argument with me actually," Rachel admits.

Rachel sees pure rage in her mother's eyes. It's ironic. Shelby is furious with her foster dad for hurting her when Shelby has hurt her more. Maybe not physically, but emotionally.

"Is he here?" Shelby asks, ready to go rip him a new one.

"No. He's at work," Rachel replies.

"Mr. Schuester is going to report this. Your foster dad is going to prison where he belongs. You're going to come home with me. I'm going to talk to a lawyer and Social Services and get custody," Shelby says.

Rachel is too worked up to stand still, so she starts pacing. She makes it across the small room in a few steps, avoiding the toys cluttering the floor. "Look, when a star can't perform, her understudy steps in. Your understudy has got it from here," Rachel says.

"I can perform," Shelby insists.

Rachel stops pacing and looks at Shelby, her face a mask hiding her emotions. "You may be good, but you're inconsistent," Rachel says.

"When I was inconsistent, I wasn't prepared. I didn't understand the characters. I do now and I'm ready. I promise," Shelby says, looking straight into her daughter's eyes. What she sees is pain and confusion.

Shelby hasn't earned Rachel's trust. Rachel has no reason to believe the words coming out of her mother's mouth and every reason to believe the promise will be broken. But, a part of Rachel wants to believe in her mother. Looking at Shelby, she makes her decision.

"Fine. I'll do it," Rachel agrees.

Grabbing a sweater and skirt from her half of the closet, Rachel goes into the bathroom to get dressed. When she returns, she starts packing. Ready to go, Rachel picks up the suitcase and walks toward the door.

"This can't be it," Shelby says, surprised that her daughter's belongings fit in one suitcase.

"I had more, but I couldn't take everything when my dads died," Rachel explains.

When her dads died, Rachel had to cut her belongings down to the bare minimum. Her room at her dads' house was easily double the size of any of the rooms she'd slept in since they died. And she always had to share the small space with foster sisters.

Leaving the foster home behind, Rachel doesn't know if Shelby's home will be any better. Rachel has a high tolerance for physical pain. After all, she's danced ballet en pointe until her feet were bleeding. She's not afraid of the physical abuse she suffers at the hands of foster parents. But, she is afraid of the emotional pain that only Shelby can put her through.

As they drive away, Shelby feels like she's finally getting what she wants most. A daughter. A family.

Shelby parks her car in a visitor parking space at McKinley High School. Rachel gets out of the car and walks into the building. Shelby has a few minutes to spare before she has to leave for Carmel. So, she finds Will in his office.

"Are you here to talk to Rachel?" Will asks, smiling in encouragement.

"We already talked. I saw how strong willed she is," Shelby says, smiling because it's one of the many characteristics Rachel got from her.

"I'm sorry," Will says, assuming Rachel refused to go with Shelby.

"Don't be. We worked everything out," Shelby says. "Can you do me one favor?" Shelby asks.

"Anything I can," Will replies.

"She has a black eye. She covered it up, but I need you to report it. Get Social Services involved. Her foster dad did it," Shelby explains.

"I knew her foster parents weren't exactly the Cleavers, but I didn't think they were mistreating her. Of course I'll report it," Will says.

When Shelby arrives at her office, Jesse is waiting outside. His blue and white Vocal Adrenaline shirt has a red sticky substance down the front. "The guys from New Directions slushied me and threw me into the dumpster. I need to get a new shirt from your office. Can you excuse me from English? I'm going to go over to McKinley. I'm going to be their worst nightmare," Jesse says angrily.

To Jesse's surprise, Shelby laughs. Even though she told Rachel she would end it, she thinks Jesse deserved what he got. "All twenty-six of my students egged my daughter! You told me you didn't want her to get hurt and then you did this!" Shelby yells. She can see the shock in Jesse's eyes. He didn't think she would find out. He looks down, ashamed. "A few members of New Directions slushied you. You got your just desserts. I don't want any of you to go anywhere near McKinley or any members of New Directions until Regionals. If you do, there will be hell to pay," Shelby says. She doesn't yell, but that doesn't lessen the power and fury of the threat. Jesse knows she's deadly serious.

Unlocking her office door, Shelby grabs a shirt from an open cardboard box beside her desk and throws it to Jesse. It catches him off guard, but he still manages to catch it. He pulls the soiled shirt over his head, careful not to get any slushie residue in his newly washed hair. Girls passing by stop to admire his six-pack as he changes. He grins. He's good-looking and he knows it. The cocky grin fades as he looks at Shelby. She's his favorite teacher, his mentor. He didn't want to disappoint her. "Thank you," Jesse says. It looks like he wants to say something else, but he just looks at her, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"Get to class," Shelby says. Jesse leaves looking like a wounded puppy.

During lunch, Shelby calls a lawyer and Social Services. She is able to get temporary custody of Rachel. So, she's happy when she picks Rachel up from school. Being a mom is the role of a lifetime. A dream come true.

"Hi, Hon. How was school?" Shelby asks when Rachel gets in the passenger seat.

"Really good," Rachel replies.

When she told her friends in Glee Club that Vocal Adrenaline egged her, the guys stalked out of the classroom on a mission. Finn, Noah, Mike and even Kurt. Of course Kurt didn't get physical with Jesse. But, he did use his cell phone to get Jesse's downfall on video and upload it to YouTube.

"Does how good it was have anything to do with your friends slushying Jesse?" Shelby asks, trying not to smile. Rachel blushes, but looks at Shelby with a straight face. She really is an actress. "If it makes you feel any better, Jesse is not a happy camper. And a slushie is nothing compared with what I have in store for them," Shelby says. She knows it makes Rachel feel better because Rachel smiles. It's the first genuine smile Shelby has seen since Rachel slashed the tires of her performers. "But now you really gotta stop messing with Vocal Adrenaline," Shelby says sternly.

"Yes, Mr. Schuester agrees with you," Rachel admits.

They park in front of Shelby's house. Rachel looks at it, surprised and impressed. It's a large two-story house with a two-car garage. It has a white picket fence. It looks like it belongs to a soccer mom with a car-full of kids and a Golden Retriever, not a single woman.

"This is where you live?" Rachel asks, regarding her mother's house as though its sacred ground.

"This is where _we_ live actually," Shelby says, getting Rachel's suitcase out of the trunk, where it's been since that morning.

Shelby unlocks the front door and holds it open for Rachel. Rachel walks in and looks around. The TV is the centerpiece of most living rooms, but not Shelby's. A beautiful grand piano is the focal point of Shelby's living room. Tasteful artwork of different scenes in Paris hangs on the walls.

Shelby smiles as she watches Rachel. "I went to Europe for a month after high school graduation. Paris is beautiful," Shelby murmurs. "Have you ever been?" Shelby asks. Thinking a mother should know if her child has been out of the country, Shelby feels guilty for not knowing where her daughter's been.

As if she can read Shelby's mind, Rachel freezes. She feels like she's navigating a minefield. One wrong move and their relationship will go up in flames. If telling Shelby that her dads brought her water when she was sad scared Shelby away before, telling Shelby that they took her to Europe when she was in middle school will probably have Shelby fleeing the country to get away from Rachel.

"What are you thinking?" Shelby asks after a moment of silence.

Rachel puts her show face on. She flashes a polite smile. "Just that I'd like to go to Europe," Rachel replies.

Rachel continues into the kitchen, hoping Shelby will drop the subject of Europe if the artwork is out of sight. The kitchen is open with lots of light.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Shelby asks.

Rachel is thirsty, but she's not going to ask for a glass of water. As far as Rachel's concerned, the phrase "glass of water" is now taboo. More offensive than a swear word. "No thank you," Rachel says politely.

Rachel stops her self-guided tour, not wanting to go into Shelby's bedroom or office uninvited. Shelby picks up where she left off, leading the way through her house. She opens the door to the only remaining room downstairs, her office. "This is my office," Shelby says. Rachel takes a few steps in. Shelby's extensive sheet music collection and library of books is organized by genre on a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf. Rachel feels like she's died and gone to heaven. She could spend hours in Shelby's office.

Shelby gets Rachel's suitcase on the way upstairs. She bypasses the smaller guest room and opens the door to the room she wants Rachel to have. It's not as large as Rachel's room in her dads' house, but it's close. The walls are bare. It has a queen size bed made up with a gold bedspread. The bedside table has a gold lamp. There is a mahogany chest of drawers against the wall opposite the bed.

"This is your room. You can do whatever you want to it," Shelby says, setting Rachel's suitcase down inside the walk-in closet.

"I haven't had my own room since my dads died," Rachel says, thinking aloud.

Decades of hiding her feelings allow Shelby to hide how sad that makes her. She opens the door that leads to the Jack-and-Jill bathroom connected to Rachel's room and the guest room. "This is your bathroom. If you need anything, there are extra toiletries in the linen closet in the hallway," Shelby says.

Walking into the hallway, Shelby points out the linen closet. She continues down the hall to the master bedroom. "This is my room," Shelby says as she opens the door.

Wanting to get to know her mother better, Rachel walks in and looks around. One-by-one, she picks up the pictures on the chest of drawers. There is a picture of Vocal Adrenaline at Sectionals. Shelby is in the middle of a group of kids, one arm around Jesse's shoulders and the other around their female lead's shoulders. Shelby is beaming with pride. Rachel wonders if her mother will ever be that comfortable with her, look at her like that. In another picture, a younger Shelby is posing with the cast of _Les Miserables_ after a production. They're all in costume. The last picture is of Rachel. Rachel is on stage singing _Don't Rain On My Parade_ at Sectionals. She looks at her mother quizzically. They didn't know each other when this picture was taken.

Shelby takes the picture from Rachel. She stares at it for several seconds. She took it from her seat in the audience at Sectionals. She showed it to Jesse when she told him to befriend her daughter. "You asked me when I realized it was the right time for you to find me and I told you I saw you sing at Sectionals. I knew you were my daughter before I saw you. The second I heard your voice I knew," Shelby says.

"Would you have found me if you didn't hear me sing?" Rachel asks.

"Yes," Shelby says without missing a beat. "I failed as an actress, but I only have one regret," Shelby says, looking at Rachel meaningfully. Rachel's eyes widen in surprise. She is the only regret. Shelby nods in confirmation. "I signed a contract. I wasn't supposed to contact you until you were eighteen. But once I heard you sing, I knew I wouldn't be able to eat, to sleep until you found me," Shelby says.

Stunned, Rachel sits down on Shelby's bed. The contract is news to her. Her first instinct is to feel angry that her dads made her mother enter into a contract that essentially ensured Rachel wouldn't get to know her mother during the years she needed a mother most. But then she wonders if it would have been better if Shelby kept her distance. Maybe her dads knew what they were doing. Maybe they knew how flaky Shelby would be.

An unframed picture lying on the bedside table catches her eye. She picks it up. In the picture, Shelby is pregnant. A baby bump is just starting to show. Shelby's hands are on her abdomen and she's smiling.

Shelby sits down beside Rachel. "That's the only picture I have of us together," Shelby murmurs.

"If you want to take a picture with a winner after Regionals, we can take one then," Rachel says, smiling slightly.

Shelby laughs. Her daughter doesn't give up. "On that note, I gotta go whip my kids into shape. Do you have rehearsal tonight?" Shelby says, wondering if Rachel needs a ride.

"Yes. We have rehearsal at 5:30. Finn's coming to get me when he gets out of basketball practice," Rachel says, giving a longer explanation than necessary.

"I'm going to be home late. Really late," Shelby says. She wants her performers on their feet dancing until they can barely stand. She wants all twenty-six of them, even the ones with high endurance, to be sore the next day. Rehearsal will be even more grueling than normal. She always pushes them hard. Now she's going to push them to their breaking points. She's always a hard-ass. Now she's going to be a slave driver. She wants her students too afraid to step even one toe out of line. After tonight, they will never mess with Rachel again.

"Well, I just need a key," Rachel says, knowing she'll probably beat Shelby home.

"I need to make an extra key for you. The garage code is your birthday," Shelby says. Surprised, Rachel wonders if Shelby changed the code recently or if it's always been her birthday. "Do you need anything else? Money for dinner?" Shelby asks.

"No thank you," Rachel replies.

Rachel's dads were intelligent and successful. A lawyer and a surgeon. They left everything to her when they died. A partner in Hiram's law firm set up an account for Rachel. She has a credit card with no limits. None of her foster parents gave her anything. So, she's used the credit card for everything she's needed for the last two years. Dance classes and vocal lessons, even food and clothing. But, a glass of water pales in comparison to a small fortune. So, Rachel doesn't offer an explanation as to why she doesn't need money.

"Call me if you need anything," Shelby says as she walks out the door.

Just as Rachel thought, she beats Shelby home. Finn drops her off at 9:30. As she enters her birthday in and the garage door opens, she feels like she's breaking and entering, not going home. Shelby tried to make her comfortable. But, how can she be comfortable with a woman she doesn't know? A woman who is supposed to love her unconditionally, but abandoned her. Not just once, but twice.

Rachel still wants to know her mother, but she doesn't want to get hurt again. She has so many unanswered questions, so much she can learn from Shelby. Hoping to find the answers to some of her questions, Rachel ventures into Shelby's office.

Rachel looks at the bookshelf. She admires the sheet music, but doesn't pick any of it up. She doesn't know what she's looking for, but she'll know it when she sees it. She bends down and picks up a yearbook on the bottom shelf.

Sitting down in Shelby's desk chair, Rachel begins flipping through the yearbook. She easily locates Shelby's picture because the students are listed in alphabetical order. She stares at it, mesmerized. If she didn't know any better, she would think it was her in that picture. Rachel turns the pages, looking for the Glee Club picture. A young Shelby is in the center of a group of twenty students. Of course Shelby was center stage.

Rachel flips to the back, wanting to read the comments left by Shelby's friends. It is the comments that can tell her what she doesn't already know, give her a glimpse into her mother as a person, not just a performer. Piecing together different comments as though putting together a puzzle, Rachel slowly gets a clearer picture of what Shelby Corcoran is like, or at least what she was like when she was in high school. The sheer number of comments makes it clear that Glee Club was cool at Shelby's high school. A comment with flirtatious undertones makes it obvious that the male lead of Glee Club was Shelby's boyfriend.

It's after midnight when Shelby gets home. Rachel scrambles to put the yearbook back where it belongs, not knowing if Shelby wants her looking at it, and picks up sheet music at random.

"What you got there?" Shelby asks.

The music Rachel picked up is Barbra Streisand's _People_. Rachel was singing a Barbra Streisand song when Shelby realized the star of New Directions was actually her daughter. Rachel recognized the Vocal Adrenaline coach as her mother when Shelby sang Barbra Streisand's _Funny Girl_. It's a coincidence. It's almost ironic.

Shelby takes the sheet music. She looks at it and smiles. "You sang Barbra at Sectionals. You were really, really good. But you should mix it up, push yourself," Shelby says.

"Don't worry. I'm not singing Barbra at Regionals," Rachel says.

Shelby wants to ask what Rachel is singing, but she knows she shouldn't. She's the competition. She'll find out soon enough. "I'm gonna go to bed. Good night," Shelby says.

"Good night," Rachel says softly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Rachel can't fall asleep. At first, she thinks it's because it's her first night in a new house, in a new bed. She tosses and turns for over an hour before realizing it's more than the change in environment. She feels like she's going to be sick. So, she gets up and runs to the bathroom, stopping only to shut the door behind her. The door is a barrier to the sound. Even sick, Rachel Berry is polite. She doesn't want to wake Shelby up. A wave of nausea hits her. Hard. Kneeling on the tile floor in front of the toilet, she empties the contents of her stomach.

She's not surprised she's getting sick. She's tired, stressed out. She's the star of New Directions and Regionals is in a few days. If they don't win, it's the end of Glee Club. Worse still, Sue is one of the judges. Sue has made it clear that she wants Glee Club to be an epic fail. Rachel feels like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. Adding to the weight is the fact that she's going head-to-head against Jesse St. James.

Used to living alone, Shelby is also used to her house being quiet when she's sleeping. So, she wakes up with a start when she hears a door shut at 1:53 am. Groaning when she sees what time it is, she reluctantly gets out of bed and goes to investigate.

Shelby opens Rachel's bedroom door and sees that Rachel's bed is empty. She's puzzled for a moment. Until she hears a retching sound coming from the bathroom. She doesn't know what to do. She's never taken care of a sick child.

When she opens the door and sees Rachel hovering over the toilet, she doesn't think twice before holding Rachel's hair back. It's instinct. She's not disgusted. As a choir director, she's seen performers toss their cookies from exhaustion after a particularly grueling practice or stage fright before a competition.

Rachel slowly gets up. She brushes her teeth. "I didn't want to wake you up. I'm so sorry," Rachel apologizes.

"Don't worry about it," Shelby says. Noticing that Rachel's face is flushed, she awkwardly puts the palm of her hand on Rachel's forehead. It's a maternal gesture. Yet, the first time Shelby does it, her daughter is fifteen. Her uncertainty is forgotten the second she feels the warmth radiating from Rachel's skin. "Hon, you're burning up," Shelby says, concerned.

"Well, at least I didn't lose my voice," Rachel says sarcastically.

Shelby smiles slightly. When she was younger, she would have said the same thing. "Get back in bed. I'm gonna get you a couple of aspirin to bring your fever down," Shelby says. She pauses in the doorway. "Do you want anything else?" Shelby asks, upset that she doesn't know what her daughter likes when she's sick.

"Do you have any soda?" Rachel asks as she gets back in bed.

After a trip to the kitchen, Shelby comes back with two white tablets and a soda can. Rachel swallows the pills, washing them down with a gulp of soda. "Thank you," Rachel says.

Shelby smiles. She feels bad for her daughter. But, she kind of likes taking care of Rachel. It makes her feel needed. "Of course. You know where to fine me if you need anything else," Shelby says.

A few hours later, the alarm on Rachel's cell phone goes off. She always gets up early to work out. She used to have an elliptical machine in her room at her dads' house. Since they died, she's gone for a run every morning. As she gets out of bed, she knows she's not going to be running this morning. She's sore. Having only slept for a few hours, she's exhausted. But, the show must go on. Regionals is in a few days. Rachel can't miss rehearsal. So, she gets up and gets in the shower.

When Shelby gets up, she goes to see how Rachel is feeling. Seeing Rachel's empty bed, she thinks Rachel is getting sick again. But, when she hurries into the bathroom, she's surprised by what she sees. Rachel isn't kneeling in front of the toilet. She's standing in front of the mirror applying cover up. She's wearing a black sweater with white polka dots on it and a skirt.

"What are you doing?" Shelby asks.

"Getting ready for school," Rachel replies.

Shelby puts her palm on Rachel's forehead and frowns. "You can't go to school until your fever goes down," Shelby says.

"Why should I let you keep me home from school when a couple of aspirin will do the trick?" Rachel asks, defiant.

Rachel's reaction catches Shelby off guard. When she says jump, her students ask how high. She's not used to teenagers questioning her. She's upset for a moment, but then she remembers that Rachel is tired and isn't feeling well.

"Take the day off. Get some rest. I want you to get better before you go back to school," Shelby says.

"Not going to school means I can't go to rehearsal which means my life is over," Rachel says.

"Don't be melodramatic," Shelby says, rolling her eyes.

Rachel frowns. "I'm not. New Directions can't rehearse if I'm not there. I'm the star. And members of Vocal Adrenaline can't miss rehearsal for any reason," Rachel says, repeating the rumor she's heard about Shelby's policies.

"Actually when my performers are sick, they can't attend rehearsal. I don't want one sick student making all twenty-six of my performers sick," Shelby corrects.

"I wash my hands all the time. I carry hand sanitizer in my bag. I am not going to make anyone sick," Rachel says.

"Stop. Just stop. Look, I don't want you to go to school as long as you have a fever," Shelby says, frustrated.

"There are only two days before Regionals. I have to practice," Rachel points out.

"You're going to do fine at Regionals even if you miss one rehearsal. You are really, really talented. When you made last minute changes to your set list at Sectionals, you were extraordinary even though you hadn't been rehearsing _Don't Rain on My Parade_," Shelby says.

Rachel smiles slightly. Shelby's opinion matters to her. When Rachel softens, Shelby puts a hand on her shoulder and turns her around so she's facing the bed.

"Get back in bed. I'm gonna go get you some aspirin," Shelby says. "Do you want anything to eat?" Shelby asks.

"No thank you. Food sounds awful," Rachel replies, wrinkling her nose.

Shelby comes back juggling a bottle of aspirin, a glass of water and a soda can. She doesn't know what Rachel will want to drink. She puts everything on Rachel's bedside table.

"I can get a substitute to take my classes, but I have to go to rehearsal tonight," Shelby says.

"You can go to work," Rachel says, realizing she can get Finn to pick her up if Shelby leaves. She sees Shelby's skepticism. "I'm just going to sleep," Rachel adds.

"Okay. Call me if you need anything. There's crackers in the cupboard and toast in the refrigerator if you get hungry," Shelby says.

The second Shelby leaves, Rachel calls Finn. She catches him as he's walking into McKinley with Puck.

"_I can't ditch class. My mom's still mad about the tires. Hold on. Puck can come get you."_

When Puck parks in front of Shelby's house, Rachel is waiting on the front porch.

"How's it being in enemy territory?" Puck asks as Rachel gets in the passenger seat.

"I'm kind of worried. I've never been so hurt as when she bailed on me. Every second I spend getting to know her will make it even harder if it happens again," Rachel says, changing the radio station.

"I know how you feel. My dad's a deadbeat," Puck says.

"What do you do when he makes you feel awful?" Rachel asks.

"Crack skulls," Puck replies. Rachel gives him a disapproving look. "He just makes me so mad and I take it out on whoever is around," Puck explains.

"I am glad you confronted Jesse. My mom did say that he wasn't happy. Thank you for what you did for me, Noah," Rachel says gratefully.

"He can't treat you like that. I'd do it again in a second," Puck says.

When they get to school, Rachel finds all of the members of Glee Club and tells them they need to meet in the choir room during lunch. New Directions rehearses at 2:30 on Thursdays and Vocal Adrenaline's rehearsal doesn't start until later. Shelby could go home in between class and rehearsal so Rachel needs to be there. So, they're going to have to use lunch for an impromptu rehearsal. As she walks into the choir room ready to practice, she is unaware that Shelby is using her lunch break to check on Rachel. Shelby stares, disbelieving, at Rachel's empty bed. As soon as a search of the house confirms that Rachel isn't there, Shelby knows Rachel is at school rehearsing. After all, Shelby once attended a rehearsal when she had a 104-degree fever. She passed out on stage. She shouldn't be surprised by her daughter's fierce determination to rehearse. Wanting to confront Rachel right away, she gets in the car and drives to McKinley High School. Shelby Corcoran doesn't stand for disobedience.

The members of Glee Club start filing into the choir room and taking seats. As self-appointed leader, Rachel is standing in the front waiting for everyone.

"Why are we here? We have rehearsal after school," Quinn complains.

"We needs to rehearse and I can't come after school," Rachel explains.

"You have something better to do than rehearse? Did hell freeze over?" Santana says, smirking.

"Hey, give her a break. Ms. Corcoran won't let her come," Finn says defensively.

"Ms. Corcoran, as in the coach of Vocal Adrenaline?" Mercedes asks.

"She _is_ Rachel's mom," Quinn says mildly.

"Your long lost mom shows up out of the blue right before Regionals and just happens to be the coach of Vocal Adrenaline. You've only been living with her for a day and she won't let you come to rehearsal," Kurt says, rolling his eyes.

"It is kind of suspicious," Finn agrees.

"She's playing you," Mercedes says.

Rachel bites her lip, wondering if they're right. "Look, I'm not feeling well. She just wanted me to take medicine and sleep," Rachel says defensively.

"Please, Jesse played you like a fiddle and you thought he loved you. We don't need another Vocal Adrenaline sabotage scenario to overcome," Kurt scoffs.

Just outside, Shelby is parking in a visitor space. She starts walking toward the choir room. But, she doesn't hear singing. Instead, she hears raised voices. When she hears "Vocal Adrenaline," she freezes.

"She might be using you. First Jesse. Now your mom. I don't want to see you get hurt again," Finn says, frowning.

"Hey, this broad can only use Rachel if Rachel lets herself be used. Rachel knows her mom is a shady character," Puck says.

"Yes, I do. While I appreciate your concern, I know that my mother might have ulterior motives. Now we need to get down to business," Rachel says, trying to corral the performers into position.

Shelby is startled when Rachel agrees with her classmates. She knows she has a long way to go before Rachel starts to see her as a mom. But, the doubt is a roadblock Shelby thought they'd gotten past. Angry, she goes into the room, ready to ream the kids that planted seeds of doubt in Rachel's mind. When Shelby steps into the choir room, the eleven teenagers that are sitting down facing the doorway stare, shocked.

"What? What's everyone looking at?" Rachel demands, noticing that no one is looking at her while she's talking. "I can't believe you aren't taking this seriously. The only way we're going to win Regionals is if we rehearse. I think we should start with…"

But, Quinn cuts Rachel off before she can inadvertently tell the coach of their rival the songs on their set list. "Rachel, your mom," Quinn says, looking meaningfully at the doorway.

"We talked about my mom for ten minutes already. Let's move on. We need to make the most of this time," Rachel says.

"No, your mom is here," Santana says, rolling her eyes.

When Rachel turns to face Shelby, she looks like a deer caught in headlights. She doesn't know how much Shelby heard. But, she knows her mother's presence in the McKinley choir room is going to make her friends even more nervous. Rachel doesn't know what to say in this moment. Are there any words that will ease their fears and make things right with Shelby?

"What are you doing here?" Kurt demands, glaring at Shelby.

"This is a closed rehearsal," Santana says.

"Yes, our rehearsals are closed as well, but that didn't stop you guys from sneaking in," Shelby says, her tone flat as ice. She glares frosty daggers at the students. In turn, they look down. "But don't worry. I'm not here to spy on you. I wouldn't waste my time. I have trouble seeing New Directions as competition. I'm only here to get Rachel. She's not feeling well. And Rachel getting sick is not some plot I cooked up to mess with you guys before Regionals," Shelby says.

Passing by the choir room, Will sees all of his students and an angry Shelby Corcoran. He steps into the room.

"Hey, what is going on here?" Will demands.

None of the students respond. So, Will looks at Shelby.

"Rachel has a fever. I didn't want her to go to school today," Shelby explains.

"But Rachel wasn't going to let you stand in the way of rehearsing," Will says knowingly.

Shelby nods in affirmation. "Some of your students think I'm here to spy on this rehearsal when I'm only here to get Rachel," Shelby says.

Disappointed, Will looks at his students. "This rivalry with Vocal Adrenaline ends now! And being disrespectful to Ms. Corcoran is not okay!" Will yells.

And that's the end of that conversation. Will Schuester doesn't raise his voice often. When he does, it gets his students' attention. After he dismisses them, they pack up and leave. As Shelby and Rachel leave, Shelby looks over her shoulder and smiles at Will. Shelby remains silent until they're in the car.

"I heard what you said. This relationship is only going to work if we're honest with each other. I wasn't lying to you when I said I wanted you. I want you as my daughter, not as a way to mess with New Directions," Shelby says.

"I understand. And I'm sorry," Rachel says. "Maybe we can start over," Rachel suggests.

"I'd like that," Shelby agrees. "Hi. My name's Shelby. I'm your mom," Shelby says. Smirking slightly, she extends her hand.

"I'm Rachel Berry. I'm your daughter," Rachel says, playing along. She shakes Shelby's hand. After Shelby releases her hand, she offers her mother the hand sanitizer from her bag. "I have a fever, you know. You may want to sterilize," Rachel says. Smiling, Shelby squirts a bead of the clear gel onto her palm and rubs her hands together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

For the next few days, Shelby and Rachel don't cross paths very often. Shelby practically lives in the auditorium of Carmel High. When Rachel gets better, she spends every waking hour rehearsing. By the time Regionals rolls around, she's more than ready. But, her stomach feels like it's tied in knots. She wonders if she's having a relapse of the 24-hour bug she had a few days before. And then she realizes it's nerves. She's not nervous about performing. She knows her performance will be flawless. She's nervous about going up against Jesse St. James. She doesn't want him to win. Not the game he's playing with her heart. And not Regionals. She doesn't want his already big head to get any bigger.

Waiting to go on, Finn adjusts his tie. He takes a few swift steps toward her and she meets him halfway.

"Break a leg," Rachel says.

"I love you," Finn blurts out.

Taken aback, Rachel stares at him. When she recovers from the shock, she breaks into a genuine smile. As New Directions is announced, Finn looks at Rachel one last time and grins. Rachel returns the smile. They make their entrance, singing Journey's _Faithfully_ as they walk down the aisle and step on stage.

While New Directions is performing, Vocal Adrenaline is in the green room getting ready. Shelby slips out to watch her daughter perform. She can hear Rachel's voice in the green room, but she wants to see Rachel. She finds a spot by the stage where no one will bother her. Rachel's pitch is perfect. The male lead is good, but Rachel is the standout of the performance. Shelby's heart swells with pride. That's her daughter. Rachel looks like her. Sings like her. And the audience is mesmerized.

Shelby hears footsteps and tears her gaze away from her daughter, annoyed at the intrusion until she sees that it's Jesse.

"I didn't know this dark corner was taken," Jesse jokes, joining Shelby.

Shelby feels Jesse stiffen as he watches the performance. Rachel sings _Faithfully_, looking straight at Finn as she sings the words like she means them. Shelby glances at Jesse. His expression is neutral. If she didn't know what to look for, she wouldn't think the performance affected him. But, she can see that his jaw is clenched and his hands are balled into fists at his sides. She wonders if he still has feelings for her daughter or if it's just bruising his ego that Rachel already moved on.

"Her singing is flawless. He's good, but he's never had any vocal training. He's rough. Unpolished. He's not good enough to sing with her," Jesse says.

Amused, Shelby smirks. "At least he doesn't throw food at her," Shelby says.

Jesse sighs slowly. "That's not true," Jesse says.

"Excuse me?" Shelby asks, surprised and confused.

"Glee is at the bottom of the proverbial pyramid at McKinley. Hudson is a jock first and a singer second. Jocks make a habit of throwing slushies in the faces of anyone they don't like," Jesse explains.

Shelby frowns. The boy on stage is looking at Rachel like he loves her. Like he'd never do anything to hurt her. Of course, Jesse once looked at Rachel like that.

New Directions transitions from _Faithfully_ to _Any Way You Want It_. All of the members join in singing, but Jesse only has eyes for Rachel. He watches as Rachel and Finn flirt on stage. Looking only at each other. Smiling at each other. Touching each other. Jesse digs his nails into his palms.

"His paws are all over her," Jesse mutters under his breath.

They watch until _Any Way You Want It_ is over, but they can't stay for the last song of the performance.

"We gotta go get ready. We're on in two minutes," Shelby says.

New Directions rounds out the Journey medley with _Don't Stop Believing_. As the audience claps, Finn pulls Rachel into his arms. Rachel feels safe. Happy. Loved. She knows Finn's feelings are pure. He waited patiently for her pseudo-relationship with Jesse to end. He was there for her when she had laryngitis. He was there for her after Vocal Adrenaline egged her. Ready to fight for her. Defend her honor. He's dependable. He's nothing like Jesse St. James. He's exactly what she needs.

Quinn interrupts their premature celebration, announcing that her water broke. The other members of New Directions go to the hospital with her, but Rachel stays behind to watch Vocal Adrenaline. To watch Jesse.

Standing in the back of the theater, Rachel watches as Vocal Adrenaline performs Queen's _Bohemian Rhapsody_. Of course they would do Queen. Again. After all, they funkified New Directions with _Another One Bites The Dust_. Jesse told her all she needed to know with that song. That's how he broke the news to her that he was back at Carmel. That's how he made it clear to her that she was just another notch on his belt. That's how he broke her heart. And, just in case she didn't get it the first time, he cracked an egg on her forehead to drive the point home. Rachel crosses her arms in front of her chest protectively and frowns. Jesse looks directly at Rachel as he sings the last few of the song.

"_Nothing really matters_

_Anyone can see_

_Nothing really matters_

_Nothing really matters to me."_

Rachel knows she didn't matter to him. She doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he got under her skin, but every word cuts her open. The pain is raw. She doesn't know how much longer she can hold back her tears. So, she leaves before the song is over.

Rachel doesn't need to hear the results to know who won. New Directions had more heart. But, Vocal Adrenaline beat them. The song choice. The advanced choreography. The sheer number of hours in rehearsal. And, of course, Sue poisoning the judges against New Directions. She doesn't know if she'll be able to swallow her pride and congratulate her mother after the results are announced. So, she goes to the green room to find Shelby while the judges are still voting.

Shelby is stirring a cup of coffee. Rachel stands in the doorway of the green room.

"Congratulations," Rachel says.

Caught by surprise, Shelby looks up. Guarded, she crosses her arms in front of her chest. She didn't expect Rachel to be a good sport. She knows she wouldn't have been if she were in her daughter's shoes. And it reminds her that however much of herself she may see in her daughter, the two men that raised Rachel played the biggest role in shaping her into the person she has become.

"Thanks, Rachel," Shelby replies. Trying to find the words her daughter needs to hear, Shelby pauses. She's not used to consoling losers. She doesn't coach losers. She looks far and wide for the best performers and makes them even better. She hasn't lost since she started coaching Vocal Adrenaline. She remembers what it's like to be unsuccessful. After all, she's a high school Glee coach instead of a Broadway star. But, there aren't any words that would heal that wound. If Rachel's as much like her as she thinks, there's nothing she can say that will make Rachel feel better about losing. Her daughter needs to win. Needs praise. Rachel's dads would probably know exactly what to say. "You were really, really good," Shelby says.

Rachel nods her head once. "I know," Rachel says.

Shelby laughs, amused by her daughter's bold confidence. "Where's the rest of your team?" Shelby asks.

"They're, uh, they're at the hospital. Quinn had her baby," Rachel replies.

"Is she okay?" Shelby asks, concerned.

"Yeah, she's fine," Rachel replies.

"Why aren't you there with them?" Shelby asks.

Uncomfortable, Rachel looks down. She's not with them because she wanted to watch Jesse. But, she knows her mother and Jesse have a special bond. She doesn't know where Shelby's loyalty lies. Even if Shelby takes Rachel's side, Rachel doesn't think telling her mother how she feels about Jesse will go over well. It will put Shelby in the middle.

"I, uh, wanted to watch the final performance. Besides, Finn's keeping me posted," Rachel says.

As she leaves the green room, Rachel runs into Jesse. Literally. He grabs her shoulders, steadying her, and looks at her.

"What brings you to our neck of the woods?" Jesse asks. He smirks, assuming she's looking for him.

"I was just talking to Shelby," Rachel replies.

Jesse raises his eyebrows. "Shelby? What? No _Mom_?" Jesse asks.

Rachel glares at Jesse and crosses her arms in front of her chest. He hit a nerve. When she asked Shelby for help with her Lady Gaga costume, she didn't think twice about calling Shelby "Mom." It felt right. And Rachel liked saying it. But, after everything that's happened between her and Shelby, the title feels premature.

"I don't really think that's appropriate," Rachel explains.

"Because you're still in Act One of your relationship," Jesse says.

"Exactly. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go," Rachel says, stepping back.

"No, you don't. They're not ready for us yet. We have all the time in the world," Jesse points out.

"No, _we_ don't. We're out of time," Rachel says pointedly.

Jesse laughs. "Come on, don't tell me that you weren't hoping to find me here when you came to talk to your mom. It's the perfect way to accidentally run into me on purpose," Jesse says, smirking.

"Don't flatter yourself," Rachel mutters.

"Your performance was flawless, but you carried Hudson. Just think what you could do if you were sharing the spotlight with someone with talent," Jesse says.

"Someone like you?" Rachel scoffs. "If I sang _Faithfully_ with you, it would lack the emotional depth of my performance with Finn. I'm not a good enough actress to sing a love song with you!" Rachel snaps.

Rachel turns on her heel and storms away. She stops as soon as she's out of sight. She leans against the wall and closes her eyes.

"You're acting right now," Jesse mutters as Rachel stalks off.

A few minutes later, the teams return to the stage for the results. Rachel glances at Vocal Adrenaline. Jesse locks eyes with her and she quickly looks away. Rachel's right hand is in Mercedes', her left hand in Artie's. She takes a deep breath as Sue announces the winner. Vocal Adrenaline. Her face falls. She holds back tears. She chances another look at Vocal Adrenaline. Jesse is hugging her mother tightly. When he releases Shelby, he holds the trophy up and looks directly at Rachel. Silently taunting her. Rubbing it in her face.

Shelby warned Rachel that Vocal Adrenaline would be at the house. She's throwing them a victory party. She always does after they win. She invited everyone before Rachel moved in and it was too late to cancel or change the location. So, Rachel can't go home. Instead, she goes to Finn's house.

"This sucks," Finn mutters.

"We didn't just lose Regionals. We lost Glee. We lost everything," Rachel says.

"I screw everything up. I'm captain of the football team and we only won one game all season. I really thought we would win today. We weren't even the runner-up. We came in last place," Finn says.

"I feel awful right now," Rachel says. She's trying not to cry, but she feels tears welling up in her eyes. "You know what makes this even worse? My mom is celebrating with my ex-boyfriend," Rachel says.

"Your mom hasn't been there for you. Mr. Schue has. He's been there for all of us," Finn points out.

"We should do something nice for him. We should show him just how much we appreciate his support," Rachel suggests.

"You're right," Finn agrees. He frowns, trying to think of an appropriate gesture. "Maybe you could bake him some of your sugar cookies," Finn suggests.

Rachel shakes her head once. She remembers baking him cookies to apologize for criticizing his choreography and recommending that they hire Dakota. This isn't a simple apology. It's a thank you. And they owe Mr. Schue a lot. He didn't become an accountant. Instead, he stayed at McKinley. For them. A grand gesture is in order.

"I have an idea. We can honor him in song. _To Sir With Love,_" Rachel says, smiling slightly.

As Rachel and Finn talk, Vocal Adrenaline has taken over Shelby's house. Her students scatter throughout the house. Eating the catered food. Gossiping. Critically analyzing the other performances. Brainstorming ideas for Nationals. Wanting some peace and quiet, Shelby goes upstairs for a breather. Walking down the hall to her bedroom, she sees Jesse in Rachel's room. She pauses in the doorway and watches him for a moment.

Jesse doesn't feel like a winner. Winning came at a cost. Rachel Berry. The only girl he's ever loved. When he accepted the trophy, he saw the look on her face. She looked at him like he was the one that had crushed her hopes and dreams. Instead of celebrating with Rachel, he's stuck with the people that cost him Rachel in the first place. The woman that forced him to seduce her and then leave her behind. Go back to Vocal Adrenaline. The team that made him prove his loyalty by egging the girl he loved. He can't even look at them right now. Worse still, he knows Rachel's with Finn Hudson.

Wanting to feel closer to Rachel, Jesse finds her room. He smiles in approval of the Broadway posters on the walls. Of course she has good taste. His smile fades when he sees a bulletin board with pictures of New Directions at various performances. She's always next to Finn. His arm is usually around her possessively. She looks so comfortable in his arms. He sits down on her bed and closes his eyes. When he opens them, he sees Shelby standing in the doorway watching him.

"I just needed a break. I'm not in a celebratory mood," Jesse explains.

"You're supposed to be jumping for joy. You're going to graduate with four National titles and a full-ride to UCLA. You're one of the lucky ones. You're going to get out of Ohio. And all of your dreams are going to come true," Shelby says.

Jesse forces a smile for Shelby's benefit. He knows how much she's done for him in the last four years. How many doors she's opened for him. How many extra hours she's spent working with him. He's always been good. But, she made him great. She may have also ruined his chances with her daughter, but he knows he owes her. Doing her bidding with Rachel doesn't even begin to repay her. He will always feel indebted to Shelby.

"How could I lose with you as a coach?" Jesse says.

"Remember that when you're starring in your first Broadway musical," Shelby teases.

"You'll be in the front row," Jesse says, daring to hope her daughter will be on stage with him.

"Of course I will. I've always been your biggest fan," Shelby says.

That's not completely true. Shelby supports him. Pushes him. Hard. She can be his harshest critic. Praise from her is hard to come by. But, when he gets it, he knows he deserves it. He wouldn't call her a fan, though.

Rachel was his biggest fan. When they met in the music store, she was starstruck. In awe of the star of Vocal Adrenaline. She even got nervous when he asked her to sing with him. Even though she's a star in the making, too. Of course, once she joined in, she was his equal. They were perfectly matched. He loved being with her. She made him feel good. And now she's not a fan. Jesse sighs slowly.

Shelby notices the sigh. Her most energetic performer lacks energy. Jesse is always on Cloud 9 after they win. His excitement is contagious. But, he's different now. He's tired. Broken. And she knows why. Her daughter had quite an effect on the playboy. Shelby feels guilty. For telling Jesse to befriend Rachel. To transfer to McKinley to earn her trust. To come back to Vocal Adrenaline. She knows she's to blame. But, she can't undo what's done. She could explain why Jesse did what he did to Rachel. But that would only make things worse. Then Rachel would be angry with both of them. She won't lose her daughter again. Not even for Jesse.

"Are you tired?" Shelby asks.

"Yeah. I think I'm going to cut out early," Jesse replies.

Shelby gets up and stands in the doorway. She waits for Jesse to leave and shuts the door behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone that reviewed. I had this chapter written and then my computer crashed and I lost it, so I had to re-write it. Sorry about the wait.

**Chapter 5**

Rachel has been upset since New Directions' crushing defeat. She lost. She's never lost a singing competition before. Rachel Berry is a winner. She's been winning trophies since she was a baby. And, now she's wondering if she's good enough to make it on Broadway. She's never questioned her talent before. She can't move on from the loss when she lives with the coach of Vocal Adrenaline. She helped Shelby clean up the aftermath of Vocal Adrenaline's victory party. She was sitting next to Shelby when Dakota Stanley called her to discuss the choreography for Nationals. Shelby left a notebook with ideas for the set list for Nationals out on the kitchen counter. Everywhere she goes, she's reminded of her loss. She can't escape it.

By the time New Directions goes to school on Monday, they've all given up hope. They had to win Regionals to prove themselves to Principal Figgins, and they didn't even place. They're resigned to their fate when they perform _To Sir With Love_ in honor of Will. Will is visibly touched by the gesture.

The pseudo-goodbye makes the end of Glee more real. For some of the members of Glee, it's just a club. But, for Rachel, it's everything. She knows her teammates are her only friends at McKinley. Even Finn would never have given her a second thought if it weren't for Glee. She sees New Directions as a way to get noticed by college recruiters. A way to get a scholarship to a top performing arts program. It's the first step on the road to stardom. And, now her journey is over before it's even begun.

When Finn drops her off, she doesn't invite him in. She wants to be alone to wallow in self-pity. She's grateful that Vocal Adrenaline rehearses until midnight every day. She'll have the house to herself for awhile. But, when she steps into the house, she sees Shelby and Jesse sitting at the kitchen table looking at sheet music. The sight of the boy that broke her heart, that egged her in her house freezes her for a moment. Shelby knows what he did. Why would she invite him over? When Rachel gets over the initial shock, she wants nothing more than to turn around. But, it's too late. Shelby and Jesse already noticed her. She sends a quick text to Finn telling him to come back.

To her credit, Shelby is visibly surprised to see Rachel. She only invited Jesse over because she thought Rachel would be at Glee. Rachel told Shelby that she didn't need to pick her up after school because New Directions had a performance and Finn would drive her home afterwards. Shelby gave Vocal Adrenaline the week off. It gives Dakota time to choreograph the Nationals routine and her students time to recuperate from the demanding rehearsals the week of Regionals. So, when Jesse asked Shelby to help him find a song for his audition for the show choir at UCLA, Shelby invited him over to look at her selection of sheet music. He was supposed to be gone before Rachel got home.

Jesse hoped he would see Rachel. He misses her so much. It's painful to live without her. Her absence is a crushing weight on his soul. He smiles wide when he sees her.

"Jesse, why are you here?" Rachel asks. Her tone tells him that she doesn't want him there.

"Rachel, I'm sorry. I thought you'd be at Glee longer. I'm just helping Jesse find a song for his audition for UCLA's show choir," Shelby explains.

"I recommend _You Give Love A Bad Name_," Rachel says.

Jesse smirks. He thought she was with Finn Hudson. But, the song choice and bitter tone tell him that she still has feelings for him. She might hate him now, but that's better than indifference. There's a thin line between love and hate.

"Bon Jovi is Hudson's style. Not mine," Jesse says.

A confused Finn walks through the door. He hadn't even gotten out of the neighborhood when Rachel told him to come back.

"Hey. Wha-" Finn starts, but he stops suddenly when he sees Jesse.

"Speak of the devil," Jesse mutters.

Rachel glares at Jesse. She grabs Finn's hand and starts pulling him to the stairs.

"What the hell is St. Jerk doing here?" Finn asks.

"Don't mind him. Shelby…Jesse, Finn and I are going up to my room," Rachel says. She doesn't look back.

Shelby raises her eyebrows. She doesn't want her fifteen year old daughter and her boyfriend in her bedroom. The seasoned coach with years of experience dealing with teenagers wants to stop them. The new mother doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to embarrass Rachel. And, she knows Rachel is uncomfortable being in the vicinity of Jesse. So, she watches Rachel and Finn disappear upstairs. She cringes when she hears Rachel's bedroom door shut.

Shelby reluctantly turns back to Jesse. She tries to focus on the sheet music, but how can she concentrate when her daughter is doing who-knows-what with Finn upstairs?

As Shelby and Jesse pull aside potential songs, Rachel and Finn sit down on her bed.

"You said your mom knows he egged you," Finn says.

Rachel nods her head. "She does," Rachel confirms.

"How can she invite him over when she knows how much he hurt you?" Finn demands. Angry, he raises his voice slightly. He narrows his eyes.

Rachel shrugs. "She apologized. She thought I'd be at Glee longer. She's helping him find a song for an audition," Rachel explains.

"Yeah, but how can she help him when she knows what he did?" Finn demands.

"I have no idea," Rachel answers. She sighs slowly. "I know she's his coach, but she's my mom. I should come first," Rachel says.

"Did you want me to come back to make Jesse jealous?" Finn asks, frowning slightly.

"No. I wanted you to come back because I needed my boyfriend. I didn't want to be alone with _them_," Rachel replies. She practically spits out the word _them_.

Finn grins and wraps his arms around Rachel.

"While my intention wasn't to make Jesse jealous, I want to hurt him. Do you want to make out?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah," Finn replies.

Finn's eyes darken with desire. He leans in and kisses Rachel. As he deepens the kiss, they fall back on the bed.

As Jesse sings one of the songs they're considering, Shelby realizes that there aren't any sounds coming from upstairs. No singing. No talking even. She has a pretty good idea of what Rachel and Finn are doing. Hoping she's wrong, she goes upstairs. She stands outside Rachel's bedroom door for a few seconds. Radio silence. She knocks and opens the door.

When they hear Shelby knock, Finn and Rachel break apart. So, when Shelby steps into Rachel's bedroom, she sees the teenagers, breathless, on Rachel's bed. Their lips are swollen.

Shelby sighs slowly. "Finn, you gotta go," Shelby says, an edge to her voice. Glaring at Finn, her eyes flash dangerously.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Corcoran," Finn mumbles.

Shelby's stare is implacable. Unforgiving. Unyielding. She kinks an eyebrow and motions toward the door. Finn practically runs past her. Shelby Corcoran scares him when she's not angry with him. When she's angry, she's terrifying. Rachel follows. Shelby is only a step behind them. She's not letting Rachel out of her sight. She doesn't want Rachel and Finn to simply move their make-out session to his car or his house.

"Leaving so soon?" Jesse asks. There's laughter in his voice.

Finn pauses. He turns to face Jesse, but sees Shelby and thinks better of it. As they go to the front door, Rachel grabs Finn's hand. Finn holds on tight.

"Rachel, you can walk Finn out, but I want you to come back here. We need to talk," Shelby says.

Rachel stops in the foyer. Standing on her tiptoes, she reaches up and kisses Finn goodbye. She's putting on a show. She wants the display to make Jesse jealous. The kiss catches Finn off guard. He doesn't want to make out with Rachel in front of her mother. Especially when her mother is Shelby Corcoran. He knows he should stop this, but Rachel's tongue is exploring his mouth and he can't think. Rachel doesn't stop until she needs to catch her breath. Finn opens his eyes and sees Shelby watching. He says a hasty goodbye and takes off.

Rachel puts her show face on before turning to face her audience. Jesse has a perfect poker face. Aloof. If he's jealous, it doesn't show. Shelby is visibly angry.

"It didn't take long," Jesse mutters.

"Excuse me?" Rachel says.

"For you to move on," Jesse explains. "Is Hudson a rebound, or did you fall for him?" Jesse asks.

"There's nothing to move on from. Our relationship wasn't real. You were playing me," Rachel says.

"I may have had an ulterior motive, but that doesn't mean our relationship wasn't real. My feelings were real. My love was real," Jesse argues.

Bewildered and confused, Rachel stares at Jesse. Vocal Adrenaline already beat New Directions. Game over. Rachel lost. What's Jesse playing at? She may not know what his angle is, but she knows she can't trust him.

"_My_ love was real," Rachel snaps. "You broke my heart," Rachel says quietly.

"You broke my heart first," Jesse points out.

"I apologized for the _Run, Joey, Run_ incident. What I did was stupid. But, what you did was cruel," Rachel says.

"I shouldn't have egged you. I feel awful about it. I'm so sorry. You deserve better than that," Jesse says.

"Is that the only thing you're sorry for?" Rachel asks.

"I didn't want you to get hurt, but I won't apologize for going out with you. I may have asked you out for the wrong reasons, but the reasons don't matter. I loved you," Jesse says.

"Don't you see how much the reasons do matter? Our entire relationship was based on a lie!" Rachel yells.

Jesse is in an impossible situation. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Rachel can get over him egging her. But, she can't get past the reason he asked her out in the first place. She thinks he only went out with her to sabotage New Directions. She thinks wrong. He didn't even see McKinley as competition. Yes, Rachel is good. But, one person can't carry an entire team. Jesse is good, but so are all of the other members of Vocal Adrenaline. He wants to tell her the truth. But, he can't do that to Shelby.

Frustrated, Jesse sighs. "Why do you think I went out with you?" Jesse asks.

"To crush the heart of the competition before Regionals," Rachel replies in an accusatory tone.

"You know I loved you. Don't you think that not being with you hurts me just as much as it hurts you?" Jesse asks.

Rachel is getting more confused by the second. Her teammates convinced her that her entire relationship with Jesse was just a diabolical plot. She remembers the last time Jesse told her he loved her. It was in the parking lot as he cracked an egg on her forehead. He looked straight into her eyes. And, for a split second, he didn't have his show face on. She could hear the emotion in his voice. Why would he tell her that he loved her if he didn't? There are a hundred other things he could have said to hurt her. She knows he really loved her. But, that realization brings her back to the question…why did he go out with her in the first place? He's not denying that he had an ulterior motive.

"Maybe. If that's true, why did you go out with me? Did you want our set list for Regionals?" Rachel asks.

"Rachel, Shelby made our set list right after Sectionals. The booster club paid Dakota Stanley thousands of dollars to choreograph our routine. We would never change our set list at the last minute," Jesse replies.

Rachel nods in acceptance. She knows he's right. But, what other reason could Jesse have to go out with her? Memories of every moment she spent with him swim to the surface. And, suddenly it dawns on her. When he asked her what her dream was, he pushed her to find her mom. She even asked why he was pushing it. He found the tape. And, when she told him she wasn't ready to listen to it, he forced her hand. He's right here in her house because Shelby is helping him. Maybe he helped Shelby, too. Rachel turns to face Shelby.

"Did you tell Jesse to go out with me?" Rachel asks.

Shelby looks at Rachel and sees pure fury in her eyes. Rachel already knows the answer. But, she's still waiting for Shelby to confirm her suspicions. And, when Shelby does, she'll have to shoulder the responsibility for her daughter's broken heart. What little trust Rachel has in her will be destroyed. Shelby sighs slowly.

"I couldn't contact you. I signed that contract. You had to come to me," Shelby says. There's a hint of desperation in her voice.

Jesse swallows. He didn't think Rachel would figure out what his real reason was. He just wanted her to come to the realization that he wasn't sabotaging New Directions. He should have known better. He knows he has to fix the damage he's done. For Shelby. And for Rachel.

"Rachel, we didn't want you to get hurt. When Shelby told me to seduce you-"

Shelby tilts her head slightly and gives Jesse a disapproving look. "Befriend her was the word I used," Shelby cuts in. How many times does she have to tell him that? There's a big difference between befriending someone and seducing them. Only one can result in a broken heart.

But, Rachel isn't listening. She turns to face Jesse. The word _seduce_ brings back the memory of when she almost had sex with Jesse. It would have been a mistake. A mistake she could never correct. She can't believe her own mother would tell Jesse to seduce her. She had a family with her dads. Her real parents. They protected her. They would never do anything to hurt her. This, here, with Shelby…it's not a family. It's a joke. A sick joke. And, Rachel is the butt of the joke.

"Why did you transfer to McKinley?" Rachel demands.

"When I told Shelby that you didn't trust me because your team didn't trust me, she told me to transfer to McKinley," Jesse admits.

"Why did you go back?" Rachel asks.

"I was always supposed to go back. I just had to get you to listen to the tape first," Jesse replies.

Rachel takes a deep breath. She's had a million questions since Jesse went back to Vocal Adrenaline. She questioned if he ever loved her. She wondered if the _Run, Joey, Run_ incident pushed him away…if she pushed him away. She's been torturing herself for weeks. And, it was never his decision. It was all part of Shelby's grand plan. It was a game to her, and she was calling all the shots. As long as Shelby got what she wanted, it didn't matter who got hurt in the process. Rachel's heart was collateral damage.

Rachel slowly turns to face Shelby. "You know, I thought Jesse was heartless, but I was wrong. He was just a puppet. You were pulling the strings. The only one here that doesn't have a heart is you. You're my mom. You should want to protect me, but you don't. All you ever do is hurt me," Rachel says.

Shelby expected anger, but Rachel is furious. Every word she speaks shoots Shelby right through the heart. Shelby didn't know words could hurt this much. Excruciating pain. By the time she recovers from the verbal attack, it's too late. When she opens her mouth to try to explain, Rachel is already storming out of the house. Rachel's departure is dramatic. Theatrical. The door slams behind her. Rachel walks away and doesn't look back. Not even once.

"Shelby, I'm sorry," Jesse says.

Shelby stares at him. There are tears in her eyes, but she won't cry in front of anyone. Especially not a student. She pushes her emotions aside. A stony stare hides her emotions. "Get out," Shelby orders. Her tone is deadly. Venomous.

When Jesse leaves, Shelby lets a few tears roll down her cheek.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

After Rachel sends him a text message, a confused Finn turns around to go back to Shelby's house for the second time since he dropped her off not even an hour ago. He spots her walking away from the house and stops the car. Rachel wipes her tears away as she takes her place in the passenger seat.

"Hey. What's wrong? Did St. Jerk-"

"Jesse didn't do anything. It was all Shelby," Rachel says.

Finn swallows. It would be easier for him if Jesse made her cry. He could beat Jesse up. He doesn't know what to do when Shelby's the one hurting Rachel. He can't beat exactly beat Shelby up.

"What did she do?" Finn asks.

"What didn't she do?" Rachel snaps. Finn's face falls and she sighs. She didn't mean to take her anger out on him. "She told Jesse to seduce me," Rachel explains.

Shocked and horrified, Finn stares at Rachel with wide-eyes. "But, why would she do that?" Finn asks.

"She signed a contract prohibiting her from contacting me until I'm eighteen. Jesse pushed me to find her," Rachel replies.

"So she had one of her students take your virginity?" Finn asks.

Rachel looks at Finn. "I have a confession to make. Jesse and I didn't do it. I'm sorry I lied, but it's so much better this way. My first time will be with you," Rachel says.

"Yeah," Finn mumbles.

"Clearly I can't go back there. She's awful. You think I could stay with you for awhile?" Rachel asks.

Finn nods his head. His mom loves Rachel. Rachel is polite and well mannered, sweet and kind, smart and motivated. If Carole let Quinn stay with them, there's no way she won't let Rachel stay with them.

When they get to the Hudson-Hummel house, they find Carole unloading the dishwasher in the kitchen. Carole glances over her shoulder and smiles when she sees Rachel.

"Hi, Honey…Rachel," Carole says.

"Mom, can Rachel stay here for a few days?" Finn asks.

Finn's words freeze Carole. The last time Finn asked if a girlfriend could stay with them, his girlfriend was pregnant. She looks up slowly. Finn is visibly worried, and Rachel's red eyes and tear-stained cheeks scream that she's upset. Carole hopes that history isn't repeating itself.

"Is Rachel pregnant?" Carole asks.

"No. She's not pregnant. We haven't even had sex," Finn says quickly.

"I'm not a teenage harlot," Rachel says.

Carole breathes a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry. Of course you can stay here as long as you need to," Carole says.

"Thank you. I really appreciate your hospitality," Rachel says.

They don't have a guest room, so Carole tells Rachel to take Finn's bed and he can sleep on the floor in the room he shares with Kurt. She knows nothing will happen as long as Kurt's in the room, too. As Finn is showing Rachel where toiletries and towels are in the bathroom, Kurt walks in.

"Finn?" Kurt says, stepping into their room. He stops when he sees Finn and Rachel. "Oh, hi, Rachel," Kurt adds.

"Hello, Kurt," Rachel says.

"Uh, Rachel's staying here for a few days," Finn says.

"Did you finally come to your senses and realize that your mom is pure evil?" Kurt asks.

Narrowing his eyes, Finn glares at Kurt. "Hey, she's upset. Don't," Finn warns.

"It's okay," Rachel says quietly. She focuses on Kurt. "You'll be happy to know that your description of my mother is accurate," Rachel says.

"If you're going to stay here, you can't wear anything you own," Kurt says. He gestures to the animal sweater and plaid skirt she's wearing. "This is an eyesore," Kurt says.

Rachel looks down. Suddenly she realizes that this is the only thing she has. She left everything at Shelby's.

"I stormed out without my things, and I'm not going back," Rachel says.

"Going back would make the storm out less effective," Kurt agrees.

As Kurt and Rachel are buying a new wardrobe at the mall, Shelby is waiting for Rachel to come home. When Rachel left, Shelby figured she just needed time to cool off and would come home soon. Soon would have been a few hours ago. Shelby dials Rachel's cell phone number and waits as it rings. It only rings a few times before going to voicemail. Rachel's not answering.

By the time it gets dark, Shelby has called Rachel five times. Rachel's phone has stopped ringing and started going straight to voicemail. She must have turned her phone off. It's clear that Rachel has no intention of talking to Shelby.

Shelby's worry soon turns into fear. Leaning back in her chair, she closes her eyes. She has to find Rachel, and she doesn't know where to look. She doesn't know where Rachel hangs out. She doesn't even know who Rachel's friends are. Worst of all, she doesn't know if Rachel's okay.

Rachel isn't okay. She should be having a good time, but she's not. She's spent almost six hundred dollars and is laden with shopping bags. And, she still feels just as miserable as she did when she left Shelby's house.

"You could at least try to look like you're happy," Kurt complains.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not happy. When I thought Jesse played me, I understood. It still hurt, but I know what it's like to be willing to do anything to win. I just can't understand how my mom could hurt me this much," Rachel says.

"Retail therapy always makes me feel better," Kurt says.

"The clothes are lovely, but they're not making me feel better," Rachel says.

"We should get back anyway. We always eat dinner at seven. Maybe Carole's cooking will make you feel better. She's a gourmet chef compared to my dad. When it was just my dad and me, we practically lived off frozen pizza until I finally learned how to cook," Kurt says.

The mention of Kurt's dad makes Rachel think about her dads. The two people that were always there for her, the two people that would never hurt her. She misses them every day. It's a wound that will never heal. Since they died, the agonizing pain has turned into a dull ache. Now, it's hurting more than ever. She wanted to believe that she had that again with Shelby. But, if Shelby could do this, how can she ever believe that?

"Can we stop at the cemetery?" Rachel asks.

Kurt stares at her. "You want to go to the cemetery at night? That's insane," Kurt says.

Rachel's eyes silently plead with him. "I just want to talk to my dads," Rachel explains.

"I get it. I go to the cemetery once a week to talk to my mom. I miss her. But, I go during the day like a normal person," Kurt says.

Nonetheless, Kurt stops at the cemetery. He follows Rachel through the cemetery. Standing a few feet away to give her privacy, he watches as she approaches their gravesite.

"Dad…Daddy, this week has been really hard. We didn't win Regionals. We didn't even place. Glee is over, which means my life is over. I found out that my whole relationship with Jesse was part of Shelby's plan. She would do anything to get what she wants, even if I get hurt in the process. I miss you so much. I just want you to hold me and tell me that everything's going to be okay," Rachel says.

As Rachel talks to her dads, a few tears roll down her cheeks. She wipes them away and takes a deep breath. When she's composed, she turns around to face Kurt.

Kurt grabs her hand. It takes Rachel by surprise. Whether it's for solos or Finn, they're almost always competing against each other. They're both fierce competitors that will do anything to win, and have. Sometimes they forget that they're on the same team. They could be friends. Right now, Rachel needs all the friends she can get. Smiling slightly, Rachel holds on tight.

While Rachel is eating dinner with the Hudson-Hummels, Shelby finally breaks down and asks for help finding Rachel. She dials Will's number, and he answers after the first ring.

"_Shelby. I'm glad you called. I didn't get a chance to say congratulations at Regionals._"

"_Thanks._" Even through the phone, Will can tell that Shelby is upset. Shelby debates whether to tell him what happened or simply ask for Finn's number. "_Listen, can you give me Finn's number?_"

Will hesitates for a moment. He doesn't know if he should give out his students' contact information.

"_I can give him a message for you tomorrow at school_."

Shelby takes a deep breath to calm down. If she screams at Will, the last thing he's going to want to do is help her.

"_I have to talk to him tonight. I don't know where Rachel is._"

Will can hear the worry in her voice. It's not the first time one of his students forgot to tell their parents where they were going.

"_Rachel's a good kid. She probably just lost track of time. You have nothing to worry about._"

"_She didn't just lose track of time!_" Frustrated, Shelby raises her voice. "_She's so angry with me. She's not answering her phone. I don't think she's planning on coming home_."

"_What happened?_"

He won't help her unless she tells him what happened. But, the admission will make her look like an awful person. Shelby sighs.

"_I asked Jesse to befriend her. That's why he asked her to go on a date with him. He was supposed to get her to come to me. She found out today, and she just left._"

"_Rachel does that when she's upset. Storms out. She usually comes back_."

"_You think she'll come back_?" There's a hint of hope in Shelby's voice.

"_I didn't say that. Honestly, I don't know. Rachel is forgiving, but what you did…it's really bad, Shelby._"

He's judging her. And, his verdict is fair. She knows she's the one in the wrong here. She's already confessed. She's willing to pay her penance. She'll rebuild Rachel's trust. She'll prove she can be a good mom. She just has to find her daughter first.

"_Tell me what to do_." Shelby's tone is pleading.

Sighing, Will drags a hand through his hair.

"_I don't know if there's anything you can do. You don't understand how much you hurt her, do you_?" Will waits a few seconds for her response. Taking her silence as a no, he continues. "_Rachel isn't popular. You can count on one hand the number of friends she has. She dated Finn and Puck, but it didn't work out. I don't think she really loved them. But, Jesse…they were together for over a month. She loved him. She took it pretty hard when he went back to Vocal Adrenaline. I've never seen her like that. To find out that her mom was behind it isn't the kind of thing she can just move on from_."

"_She has to forgive me!_" There's a hint of desperation in Shelby's voice.

"_I know you're upset. I'm sorry. Maybe I should come over_."

When Shelby opens the door, there's no sign that she's been crying. She doesn't show weakness even at her weakest moments. Looking hard is better than looking weak.

"Shelby," Will says. He can't muster up a smile.

"Thank you for coming," Shelby says.

Will follows Shelby in and they sit down on the couch.

"I talked to Finn. Rachel's okay. She's staying at his house," Will says.

Shelby nods her head. She expected as much. It takes everything she's got not to go get Rachel and drag her home kicking and screaming. Rachel's more likely to forgive her if she gives Rachel a day to cool off.

Sensing Shelby's fear, Will puts a hand on her shoulder and offers reassurances.

"Finn's family is really nice," Will says.

Shelby stares at him. Somehow he always seems to know exactly what she's thinking, how she's feeling. He reads her like an open book. Not that she's easy to read. No, she has a perfect poker face, but this isn't the first time he's called her bluff. And, he knows just what to say. She only called him because he was the only one that would have the contact information for all of Rachel's friends. It's not until this moment that she realizes he's exactly what she needs right now.

She leans in and kisses him. He hesitates for just a moment. His eyes darken with desire. Closing his eyes, he kisses her back. As they deepen the kiss, they fall back on the couch.

As Shelby finds comfort in Will's arms, Rachel is lying down on Finn's bed. He's sleeping on an air mattress on the floor next to his bed. She's tried really hard to hold back her tears. She knows Finn hates it when she cries. Now that Finn's asleep, she buries her head in a pillow and lets her tears escape. She didn't know it was possible to hurt like this. When she thought Jesse played her of his own volition, it hurt. But, she always knew he could hurt her if she gave herself to him. She decided it was worth it. She took the risk, and it cost her dearly. She would never, not once in a million years, think her own mother would hurt her.

Finn wakes up when he hears Rachel crying. He lies down next to her, and she rests her head on his shoulder. Finn starts singing Edwin McCain's _I'll Be_. His voice is low. It has a calming effect on her. She falls asleep in his arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Parked in front of Shelby's house, Rachel stares at the house. From the outside, it looks like the perfect home. But, it's not her home. She used to have a home with her dads. It was warm and welcoming. She hasn't been at home anywhere since they died. Her foster homes were temporary. She was never in them long enough to get comfortable. Sometime during the week she lived with Shelby, Rachel forgot that it wasn't her home. She did something she hadn't done in over a year. She hung posters and pictures on the walls in her bedroom. She should have known it was too good to be true. Now, she's here to get her things. And, the next time she makes herself at home, it will be in New York. She convinced Finn to skip class so they could get in and out while Shelby's at work.

Rachel uses her key to unlock the front door. When she steps in, she sees Shelby laying down on the couch. Shelby is wearing an oversize Ohio State sweatshirt and grey yoga pants instead of her normal black suit. When she hears the door, Shelby sits up and looks at Rachel. Bloodshot eyes tell Rachel she's been up all night.

"Why are you here?" Rachel asks. Her tone is accusatory. Her displeasure is clear.

"I live here," Shelby says, kinking her eyebrow. There's a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"You were supposed to be at work," Rachel mutters.

And, that's when Shelby notices Finn standing in the doorway. Rachel isn't here to stay. It hits her that Rachel was going to pack up and leave without so much as a word to Shelby. Shelby's not going to make it that easy on her.

"It's a good thing I'm not," Shelby says.

"I'm just here to get my things," Rachel says.

Rachel doesn't give Shelby a chance to respond. She just goes upstairs. Shelby glances at Finn.

"Go back to school," Shelby says. Her tone is firm. Severe.

Frowning, Finn looks at the stairs Rachel just went up.

"Rachel's-"

"Rachel's my daughter," Shelby cuts in. "I'm going to work things out with her," Shelby says.

Finn reluctantly leaves. As soon as the door shuts behind him, Shelby goes up to Rachel's room. Rachel's suitcase is open on her bed. She's already laid her skirts down in the bottom. Now she's folding sweaters.

"Stop," Shelby says. The order comes out as more of a plea.

Ignoring her mother, Rachel continues packing.

"Stop," Shelby repeats. This time she's stern. Commanding.

Shelby knows her tone would have stopped her students dead, but it doesn't have the same effect on Rachel. Rachel zips her suitcase up and sets it down on the floor. Shelby feels like she's invisible. Rachel doesn't even look at her as she starts for the door. As Rachel walks past Shelby, Shelby grabs her arm to stop her. Rachel slowly looks up.

"Rachel, I'm so sorry. I was wrong. I know how much I hurt you," Shelby says.

"Then why did you do it?" Rachel demands.

"I wanted you. I wanted my daughter. I wanted a family. I couldn't wait until you were eighteen. Jesse's a good kid. I told him to befriend you and get you to listen to that tape. It seemed like the only way to get you to come to me," Shelby explains.

"You said you'd be honest with me! Why didn't you tell me when I moved in?" Rachel says.

"I was scared you'd hate me," Shelby says.

"Don't you see how it's ten times worse now?" Rachel asks.

"I messed up. I know that," Shelby says.

Rachel stares at Shelby with tears in her eyes. Rachel Berry is a forgiving person. She always tries to find the good in people. Even when it's hard to find. All Puck had to do was apologize once and all was forgiven. Quinn has never even apologized. Not for the slushies, the pornographic picture she drew of Rachel, the names she's called Rachel. And, Rachel doesn't need her to apologize. Yes, it would be nice if she did apologize, but Rachel has let go of the bad and held onto the few good moments she's shared with Quinn. Yet, here is Shelby practically begging for forgiveness and Rachel doesn't know if she can forgive and forget. Somehow, it's harder to forgive her mother than a high school bully. Shouldn't it be easier? After all, they're family. But, they're not an ordinary family. Would she be able to forgive her dads for the same transgression? Rachel can't answer that because she knows her dads would never do what Shelby did. Rachel can't even remember the last times her dads had to ask for forgiveness. It was always the other way around. Rachel apologizing for messing up. Her dads being stern, yet caring.

"I've never been so hurt in my entire life. You're my mom. You're not supposed to hurt me. My dads would never make me feel like this," Rachel says.

"Your dads wouldn't have to," Shelby points out. She takes a deep breath. "They got to see you, talk to you every day. I missed fifteen years. I couldn't miss three more," Shelby says.

Rachel slowly softens. She spent fifteen years missing her mom. Yes, she had her dads. They were a happy family. But, there were times when she wanted a mom. Shelby was alone. Single. No children. Of course, Shelby missed her daughter. Probably more than Rachel can even realize.

"I can understand why you asked Jesse to befriend me. I wouldn't have known you were my mom if I hadn't heard that tape," Rachel says.

Shelby breathes a sigh of relief. "Can you forgive me?" Shelby asks. Her eyes are silently pleading with Rachel.

Rachel looks down. "I don't know. Maybe. I can try," Rachel replies.

"Thank you, Rachel," Shelby says.

Shelby pulls Rachel into a hug. Rachel doesn't return the hug, but she doesn't step back either. When Shelby parts from her, Rachel remembers Finn waiting downstairs.

"I have to go," Rachel says.

Shelby's smile fades. "What? You can't go. You have to stay here. We can make this work," Shelby says. There's a hint of desperation in her voice.

"I'll stay here, but I have to go back to school. Finn's waiting downstairs," Rachel explains.

"No, he's not. I told him to go back to school," Shelby says.

Rachel is taken aback for a moment. She didn't think Finn would leave her, but she knows Shelby can be convincing. Rachel realizes suddenly that if she hadn't accepted Shelby's apology, she would have stormed out and had no one waiting for her, no one to go. That was probably Shelby's plan. Shelby always seems to know how to get everyone right where she wants them.

"I can drive you back to school," Shelby offers. "Or you can take the afternoon off. You had a hard night," Shelby adds.

"I think I will take the afternoon off," Rachel agrees.

Shelby is pleasantly surprised. When Rachel had a fever a few days ago, she wouldn't even hear of missing school. Now, Shelby thought Rachel would want to be anywhere but here, with Shelby.

"You don't mind missing Glee?" Shelby asks.

"I'm not. Glee is over," Rachel mutters.

"You guys aren't rehearsing until next year?" Shelby asks, surprised.

"We're never rehearsing again. Principal Figgins was only going to budget for another year if we proved that New Directions could be successful," Rachel explains.

"You won Sectionals," Shelby points out.

"That wasn't good enough. We had to place at Regionals," Rachel says.

Shelby sighs. She feels like she let Rachel down. Again. If Shelby's team hadn't won, Rachel would still have Glee. Of course, Shelby didn't know that winning would destroy her daughter's Glee Club. She thought Rachel would get over the loss. And, she genuinely thought Rachel would have a good chance of winning once Jesse graduated.

"I'm sorry, Hon," Shelby says.

"Thank you, but I don't want to talk about it," Rachel says.

Shelby nods her head in understanding. "Have you eaten lunch?" Shelby asks.

"No," Rachel replies.

They walk down to the kitchen. Standing in front of the refrigerator, Shelby scans the contents.

"How about salad?" Shelby asks.

"That's fine," Rachel replies.

Shelby makes the salad while Rachel sets the table. They've been living together for over a week now, yet this is one of the first times they've eaten together. Shelby has had Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal until midnight every night. They sit in silence for a while. Shelby remembers the conversation she wanted to have with Rachel after interrupting Finn and Rachel in Rachel's room. Of course, the conversation didn't happen because Rachel stormed out…and spent the night at her boyfriend's house. Shelby doesn't know if now is a good time to have that conversation. The last thing she wants to do is fight with Rachel. Again. But, the conversation needs to be had.

"I'm so happy you're staying, but we should talk about some rules now that you're living here," Shelby says.

Rachel looks up and folds her arms in front of her chest defiantly. Even when she was younger, her dads didn't have a lot of rules. They trusted her. They both worked. Rachel had the house to herself when she got home from school. She was allowed to hang out with friends as long as she left them a note. She hasn't had any rules since her dads died. She thinks it's a little unfair that Shelby is going to make rules for Rachel when Shelby is far from the perfect mom.

Seeing her daughter's initial reaction, Shelby quickly tries to calm her down.

"For both of us. I know it was hard for you to see Jesse here yesterday. I won't have him over when you're home," Shelby adds. "Is there anything else you need from me?" Shelby asks.

"You have to be honest with me. If I stay here and I find out you're lying to me again, I'm never going to be able to forgive you," Rachel says.

"I promise I will never lie to you again," Shelby agrees.

Shelby waits to see if Rachel has anything to add, but Rachel just nods her head and takes a bite of salad.

"I don't want you to have boys in your room," Shelby says.

Rachel rolls her eyes, but doesn't argue.

"You have to tell me where you are. I know you were angry and hurt last night, but I didn't know where you were and you wouldn't answer your phone," Shelby says.

"I couldn't talk to you last night. I was so angry," Rachel explains.

Shelby nods her head. She knows Rachel didn't want to talk to her. She should probably be thankful that Rachel is talking to her now. She doesn't want to talk about that anymore. She can tell Rachel is still angry and she doesn't want to make her even angrier. So, she moves on.

"I don't want you to spend the night at your boyfriend's house," Shelby says.

Rachel narrows her eyes suspiciously. "How do you know where I spent the night?" Rachel demands.

Should Shelby tell Rachel that Will came over last night? She's a little scared of how Rachel will react. After all, the rules she just made for Rachel are about boys. And, Will isn't just any boy. He's her daughter's teacher. She agreed not to lie to her daughter, but she didn't agree to tell Rachel everything. Leaving out that little detail can't be that bad.

"You came home with Finn," Shelby points out.

Rachel nods her head in acceptance of the explanation.

Shelby smiles as the conversation comes to an end. It could have gone worse. After lunch, they move to the living room to watch TV. Neither of them was able to sleep last night. Rachel tossed and turned in Finn's bed. Shelby didn't even bother going to bed. They both fall asleep on the couch watching TV.


End file.
